In recent years, there has been increasing awareness of potential adverse health effects caused by prolonged use of computers. For instance, visual display monitors emit electromagnetic waves which cause a build up of electrostatic charge on a computer operator's body. This accumulated charge may adversely affect the operator's health. There is concern that those who work daily with visual display monitors may face an occupational health hazard due to the emissions of the electromagnetic waves from the display.
One technique for reducing computer-related health risks is to periodically remove accumulated electrostatic charge from the computer operator. U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,106 proposes the use of a static dissipative touch device which a computer operator touches prior to using a computer. The disclosed purpose for dissipating charge is to prevent damage to the electronic equipment caused by static discharge. This patent discloses positioning a long narrow touch pad on the front side of a computer keyboard apart from the keys. This touch pad is grounded. Prior to using the computer, the user is required to make contact with the touch pad so that any electrostatic charge may be dissipated to ground through this pad. In practice, the technique is cumbersome for it requires the user to consciously contact this touch pad prior to placing his/her hands on the keyboard keys. Additionally, this device provides only a one time static discharge prior to operation of the computer. The touch device described in the above-referenced patent fails to dissipate electrostatic charge on a routine basis.
This invention provides a convenient and effective technique for routinely dissipating electrostatic charge which accumulates on a computer user to reduce potential health risks associated with operating computers.